Fish boning device



1950 Q R. M. BERGLUND 2,534,219

FISH BONING DEVICE Filed May 13, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ali RALP M. 55561. UA/D R. M. BERGLUND FISH 30 Dec. 19, 1950 NING DEVICE Filed May 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l 1 l l l x wwl wwil hmw lmu RALPH M. DERGLU/VD Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNITED.- STATES PATENT OFFICE FISH BONING DEVICE Ralph M. Berglund, Bellingham, Wash, assignor to PaoificAmerican Fisheries, 1110., Bellingham, Wash;,. a corporation of Washington Application May 13, 1946; Serial No. 669,344.

1 12 Claims.

This invention relates to a cutting device, and more particularly to a machine for removing the backbones of fish.

In the preparation of fish for canning, it has become apparent that some rapid mechanical means of cleaning the fish and removing their backbones is necessary. If these operations are carried out by hand they are time consuming and result in high labor cost in the preparation of the fish. A number-of machines have been developed in an'eifort to-reduce the manual labor required in the canneries. Some of these machines carry a split fish with its flesh side up along a moving base. An operator standing nearby guides a rotating knife along the fish toseparate-the backbone-from the flesh. In others, anoperator directs a relatively" longrotating tubular cutter through a Wholefish from which the head had been removed and thusremoves a cyiindricalcore containing the backbone from-the fish. Both of these mechanisms require skilledlabor and consequ-ently, do not achieve the savings in labor desiredforthe machine- Uther mechanisms heretofore developedhavehad' similar drawbacks.

lt is an object-of this inventionto provide a powerdriven machine which Will rapidly remove the backbone from the fish.

Anotherobject oithisinvention is to provide a machine which will eliminate the necessity forskilled-labor for its operation.

Still another object of this invention is to pro-- vide mechanical fishboning m achinewhich will cleanlyseparatethe backbone iromthe flesh of the A" further-object of'fthis invention is to provide a fishb cg machine with adjustable features which wiil permit its useon fish of widely differentrsiaes;

With-these. and'iother objectsin mind which will become apparent from thefollowing descrip tion, this invention resides in a machine in which as spli-tqfish is mechanically carried along guiding-table; past power driven cutting means which clearly removes the backbone from the fish.

In the. drawings:

Figure l. iliustratesi a longitudinal sectional View of the machine taken along the line 1-4 in Figural Figure 2'is ancndelevation taken at the feed ens ""ine-illustrating-the operation of scnieof the adjustable ieatures of the machine.

Figure S'is-a fragmentary elevational View of the cutting element of a'modified butpre-ferred form of this invention.

Figure 4- is "a sectional view alongthe-line- 4:4

2. in- Figure 3 illustrating the location of the cutter of the preferred form of the invention in respect to the adjustable feed-table.

Referring to Figure l of the'drawings, the machine of the present invention consists, in general, of a case- I onwhich a table 2 is adiustabl'y supported. A channel-shaped cutter supporting platform 3 is secured, preferably by welding, to one-enclof the base and'exmnds above the base to a level ordinarily slightly below that of the table A power driven cutting mechanism, indicated generally as 4, is rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the channel-shaped platform 3'. Above the table and the platform, a conveyor comprising a pair of parallel chains 5, having spikes 5c, move over'pafrs of sprocketsfi and l, onepair of sprockets being power driven. Briefly, the spikes 5a of the parallel chains 5 engage thebody of the fish at the right-hand end (Figure 1) or feed end of the machine-and move it over the surface of the table 2', forcing it to pass over the: cutter where the backbone is removed, and

disengage the fish at the left-hand discharge end of the machine.-

The base consists of a generally rectangular block i having four recesses and 9' essentially similarly disposed in respect to the longitudinal axis of the block along both sides thereof. In each of the recesses vertical hangers It and horizontal hangers ll are secured to the inner wall. Parallel shafts l2 and is extend from outside of the right or feed end of the block 4 longitudinally through the block and pass through recesses 8 and 9; The hangers so provide support for shafts l2 and E3 in the recesses. Bevel gears M are secured to shafts i 2 and 93 in recesses e. The hubs l5 of the gears i4 bear against the wall [f recesses 9 to prevent longitudinal movement of shafts l2 and is toward'the feed-end of the machine.- Displacement of the shafts toward the discharge end of the machine is, of course, prevented by bevel gears as in recesses 9 and bevel gears 56 in recesses &.

Secured to the ends of. shafts l2 and iswhich extend beyond the right or feed end of block I, are sprockets i5} and as best shown in Figure 2; the drawings these sprockets and the various gears are attached to the shafts by means or set screws but, of course, they could'be so attechedby means of keys or any other suitable Sprockets it and 2S are connected by chain 2 i. A handwhee 22 is fixedly mounted on the'end ofshaft i2, adjacent to sprocket l9. convenience in turning Wheel 22, aspindle 23 is secured to its outer rim. Thus; any turnin of wheel 22 will rotate shaft l2 and sprocket [9. Chain 2i mounted upon sprocket it will move as the sprocket rotates and in turn cause an exactly similar rotation of sprocket 29, which is secured to shaft l3. It is seen that any rotation of wheel 22 causes shafts l2 and 13 to rotate in unison.

In engagement with bevel gears 14 and I8 are bevel gears 24 and 25 respectively which are secured to vertical shafts 25 and 21'! which rotate in horizontal hangers l l secured to the inner wall of recesses 9 and 8. Collars 28 and 29 are attached to the vertical shafts 25 and 21 at a point immediately above the hangers ll. Collars 28 bear against the upper surface of recesses 9 and collars 22 against the upper surface 3| of recesses 3 to prevent any upward movement of shafts 2e and 2?. Downward movement of the shafts is prevented by the collars bearing against the upper surface of hangers ll. Because of the engagement of the bevel gears 25 and 25 with the bevel gears it and E5 the simultaneous rotation of shafts I2 and 53 produces an exactly similar rotation in all vertical shafts 26 and 21.

Shafts 26 and 22 extend above the upper surface of base i into recesses 32 and 33 in the under surface of the feed table 2. All of the vertical shafts are threaded as shown at 3:3 and 35 from a point immediately above the upper surface of collars 28 and 2 9 to the upper ends of the shafts. Internally threaded flanged bushings 3'; and 38, through which the threaded portions of vertical shafts 26 and 2? pass are securely fastened by screws 36 in the lower ends of recesses 52 and 33.

It is seen that any turning of the adjusting wheel 22 acts through shafts i2 and i3 and bevel. gears l4, i8, 24 and 25 to turn threaded shafts 26 and 2! in unison. Since the threaded portion of these vertical shafts are received in the bushings 3? and 3 5 any turning of the hand wheel will raise or lower the feed table 2. The turning of all of the vertical shafts in unison permits the table to remain on an even keel as it is adjusted.

Extending longitudinally along the center of the upper surface of table 2 for its full length is a straight guide channel 38 for the bone of the fish. Preferably this channel is machined in an insert 38 which fits in a groove in the upper sur-- face of the feed table. Fully countersunk screws hold the insert 39 securely in place. By merely replacing the insert with one having a different sized channel the machine may be adjusted for properly aligning the vertebrae of fish of Various sizes with respect to the cutter. Parallel to channel 38 and extending along both sides of it are grooves ii and d2. The grooves and the channel serve as a guiding means which assures the proper positioning of the fish as it approaches the cutter described in detail later in this specification.

Platform 3 is attached by welding or other suitable means to the base i and extends up along the discharge and of feed table 2. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the platform is made from a section of a channel member opening towards the discharge end of the machine. Secured by means of screws 33 and M to the upper surface of the platform 3, which serves as a surface over which the fish slides as it passes the cutter, are bearings s5 and 6. It is im portant that the bearings be axially aligned with the channel 38 in the feed table These bearings are preferably of the needle roller type and fixedly support a hollow tube 41.

Threaded to the feed end of the tube 47 is a backbone removing implement comprising tubular cutter is. This cutter is preferably made of high speed steel and should have a serrated cutting edge. The threaded attachment of the cutter to the hollow tube allows easy and rapid replacement of the cutters. Because of the threaded construction, a cutter of the proper size may easily be installed when the type or size of fish being processed is changed. It is preferred that the cutters d8 have a number of holes regularly spaced in a common plane around the outer surface for engagement by a spanner wrench to facilitate their installation and removal.

Hollow tubular member 4? serves as a shaft for the transmission of rotary motion to the cutter as well as a support on which the cutter is mounted. Formed in the outer surface of the discharge end of tube l1 are gear teeth 69. These teeth mesh with a floating gear 59 which provides working space between the tube 41 and a driving gear 59 located below the dis-charge end of the cutter. Floating gear as is secured to a pin 52 extending into a socket in an outer wall of the top part of the platform 3, thereby fixing its position of rotation.

A block 54 is fastened to the lower surface of the upper flange of the channel shaped platform 3 and serves as a base to which hangers 55 are attached. A shaft 55 with one end extending beyond the discharge end of block 54, turns in bearings encased in hangers 55. The driving gear *5! is secured to the extended end of the shaft directly below the discharge end of tube 41.

Attached to the end Of shaft 56 remote from the gear 5| is a sprocket 51. An endless chain 58 (see Figure 2) passes over the sprocket and is connected to a source of power (not shown) separate from the fish conveying mechanism. Thus power is received through the chain 58 and transmitted through sprocket 51, shaft 56, and gears 5i, 50 and 49 to tubular shaft 41 which in turn imparts a rotary motion to the cutter 48. A guard plate 59 is firmly attached to the upper surface of bearing 46 and platform 3 to direct the flesh (and oil) of the fish away from the gears 49,

59 and 5| after passing the cutter.

Extending upwardly from both sides of the base i are posts 69, as is most clearly shown in Figure 2. These posts are rigidly attached to the base by means of bolts 6| but, of course, could be attached by any other suitable means. At the upper end of the posts 6!], arms 52 project inwardly over the table 2 and T-shaped apertured brackets 63 extend inwardly from the inner ends thereof. Rods 64 pass vertically through the apertures in the brackets and carr bearings 65 at their lower ends. Mounted concentrically about rods 64 and below the apertured brackets are springs 65 which press against the lower surface of the T-shaped brackets and the upper surface of the bearings 55 to constantly urge the bearings downwardly. Extending through openings in the upper ends of the rods above the brackets 63 are pins 61 which engage the upper surface of the brackets 63 and thereby limit the downward movement of the rods 64.

Passing through the bearings 65 and extending outwardly beyond and through the posts 60 is a horizontal shaft 68 upon which are mounted the pair of sprockets I. These sprockets should be located directly above the channels 4| and 42 in the upper surface of the feed table 2. The shaft 68 also rides in thrust bearings 69 which are vertically slldably mounted in openings in assume:

posts-'60.; Qneaend ofishaft 68 isE-extended. far enough? outwardly" beyond. post: Eiiiwto .all'owtha mounting; of asspro'cket .10 thereon. Bower may bewtransmittednfrom:anysuitable source outside thee-machine through a .drive chain (not shown), in engagement with sprocket H1 for rotation .of shaft 68..

With the: exception that no external source of powerisconnected toit, a shaft H is supported bypostsillat the discharge end of the machine bya: structure exactlysimilar to. that used to support shaft 63; Thepair of" sprockets t ara secured to'shaft-TI directly in line with thecorresponding'pair ofsprock'ets 1 on shaft-6 8 so that the'chains will move parallelto the grooves 4| and 42-.

As-b'efore mentioned parallel endless chains 5 pass over the-two pairs of'sprockets 6 and 1. In operation; the chains are moved by power receivedfrom the pair of sprockets 'l. Sprockets '6" merely turn with shaft H' and serve to keep the 'chains tautanel hold-them in the proper alignment-with respect-to grooves 41 and 42.

Extending outwardly at regular intervals from the chains -5 are spikesfiw. When shafts 58 and 'H" arein their farthest downward position, spikes 5a should extend a short distance into the grooves 41 and 42'. During operation, when a fish half 'is-placed on the feed table, it will force the'chains 5 upward slightly. made -possible'by-the slidablemounting of bearings 69 inposts fill-and i2 and the use of springs to support the bearing r55 resiliently from F shaped brackets B3.

A safety guard 14 is provided to prevent the operator from becoming entangled with the spiked chains 5. If desired, it may be linked to some mechanism which operates an alarm or warning device or maysim'ply baraccess to' the chains;

The'preferred form of the cutting-means used inthis-inventionis best illustrated in Figure 4. A cutterlfi ofthe milling typeissecured to a shaft 16 which rotates inbearings supported in a hanger I! secured to'the vertical sidewall of platform 3 adjacent to" the feed table 2'.

The cutter rotates in a space between the feed table designated hyth'e number 2 and adjacent the side of'the platform 3' in this form of the invention. Thus it is necessary that the feed table .2 have a curved groove, outlined b curved surface T8, at its discharge end. Cutter 15 ex.- tends. into the groove. The channel formed by surface 18 allows the discharge end of the feed table 2' to be. adjacent to. platform 3' on both sides. of the cutter, therebyforrning a continuous surface over which the. fish-can slide from the feed. to the discharge end. of the machine.

Between the cutter PE-and. the curved surface '18 isa channel i9 through which the pieces of bone removed from the fish-half by the cutter fall. Since the chips of bones must fall clear of the machine, it. is necessary thatthe base i be spaced. from. platformt! near its. center area-bv low the. cutter 15-. The sides iii of the base should extend.;toward thedischargeend of the machine and besecurely attached to the platform 3 A. guard at from the upper surface. ofplatform 3, to whichit is secured by screws 82, out over. the cutter to prevent gouging of the flesh of the fish hythe cutter teethas they approach their uppermcstpositionn it will, of course, desirable that the milling;

This movement is 5 38 by t;

larcutter is, in many respects,

cording to cilitate the removal of the cutting element, the

end or shaft 16 is threaded to receive a nut 83.. When placing. a cutter on the shaft, collar 84 is slipped into place over the shaft and against the hanger Ti. The cutter E5 is next slipped into 1 place on the shaft and secured thereto with key Washer 36 is then placed next to the cutter and held firmly against it by nut 83. The cutting element is thus held securely in place on the shaft a rd in proper alignment with the channel collar 85 which prevents axial move.- ment toward the hanger I! and the key 85 which prevents slipping on the shaft as it rotates.

Inasmuch as the larger cutters are designed for removing large bones they should be of greater thickness as well as diameter than the smaller cutters. Therefore a series of collars 84 of varythickness will'be required to align the center of the cutter properly with the center of the channelI-E-Ei of the feed table. For purposes of illustration channel 33 is indicated by a dotted. line in Figure 3.

The shaft it extends outwardly beyond one of the machine where it is connected to a source or power (not shown). The shaft is.

i turned ina clockwise direction, indicated in Figure 4, to direct the teeth 8! of the cutter against the backbone of the fish, as it is moved toward the discharge end or the machine.

lhe operation of the machine is simple and easily controlled. After starting the motors which rotate the cutter and move the spiked chains, the fish-half, split along the dorsal-ventral axis, retaining the backbone is placed with the flesh side down at the feed end of table The operator aligns the backbone of the fish in the channel 38. Spikes he on the roller chains 5 engage the flesh of the fish and move it along the upper surface of table Springs 5G and slidably mounted bear- 53% provide a resilient support allowing vertical movement or" the axis about which the chains rotate and thereby allow the insertion of fish of varying sizes underneath the roller chains 5. Grooves M and in combination with channel 538 determine the path followed by the fish-half and guarantee the proper engagement of the backbone and the cut ing element. This mechanical feature eliminates the necessity of a skilled operatorbeing present to direct the cutting element along the backbone of the fish.

In the preferred form of the invention the rapidly rotatin milling cutter 55 chips or mills sections of bone from the fish as it moves toward discharge end of the machine. Guard 8i directs the bone-d fish away from the cutter to prevent gouging of its The boned fish is discharged froni the edge of the mach'uie- 83 to a vessel or conveying means not shown in the drawing.

The. operation of the machine having a tubii to the preierredfcrrn. In this case, however, as the backbone is cut from the passes through the hcilow tuhe' ii discharges from that member. The flesh of the fish passes over the outer surface of the tubular shaft and is discharged from the dis barge endof the machine. to any suitable contai The guard as directs the flesh of the fish away from the serving to rotate the. cutter.

It is appar" it that a machine constructed ac invention is. readily. adaptable-to handling fish of widely varying sizes. The feed table 2 may be raised or lowered as required byv large variations in the fish or bone size. On the other hand, the spiked chains which convey the fish from the feed end to the discharge end of the machine are resiliently mounted to handle minor variations in fish size. If the backbone varies greatly in size the guiding channel in the feed table is easily replaceable which allows the backbone to be properly aligned with the cutting means. In addition, both forms of the cutting means are adapted to easy changing as required by vertebrae of varying sizes.

It is seen that the machine of this invention requires very little labor for its operation and the labor required is of an unskilled nature. After the fish has been placed on the feed table with its backbone properly aligned in the channel the machine carries out all of the subsequent opera tions mechanically.

In contrast with some machines or with the cleaning of fish by hand where a wedge shaped strip including the backbone and a strip of flesh adjacent to it is cut from the fish, this invention provides a means for cleanly separating the bone from the flesh with a minimum of waste of the flesh.

A machine of the type described is readily adaptable for installation in a production line because of the speed and simplicity of its operation.

Having described the features of the preferred form or this invention in detail, I Wish it to be understood that the concept of this invention is not limited by those details but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A fish boning machine comprising a feed table having its upper surface provided with a channel, said table being grooved parallel to and on both sides of said channel, conveying means loca tedabove said grooves and moving parallel to said channel, said conveying means having guiding elements adapted to move in said grooves, driving means to move said conveying means, and cutting means aligned with said channel.

2. A fish boning machine comprising a feed table having its upper surface provided with a channel, said table being adjustable vertically and grooved parallel to and on both sides of said channel, a pair of spiked endless chains located above said grooves and moving parallel to said channel with the spikes extending slightly into said grooves, said spikes constituting guiding elements as they move in said grooves, driving means to move said chains, and cutting means aligned with said channel.

3. A fish boning machine comprising a feed table having its upper surface provided with a channel, said table being adjustable vertically, grooves in said table parallel to said channel, a pair of spiked endless chains resiliently mounted above said grooves and moving parallel to said channel, said chains having guiding elements adapted to move in said grooves, driving means to move said chains, and power driven cutting means aligned with said channel.

A fish boning machine comprising an adjustable feed table, a replaceable channelled insert mounted in the working surface of said table, a milling cutter aligned with said channelled insert, and conveying means to move a fish-half along said table over said milling cutter.

. 5. A fish boning machine comprising a feed 8 table having its upper surface provided with a channel, a rotating milling cutter aligned with said channel, and resiliently mounted conveying means for moving a fish-half along said table, said channel guiding the fish-half against said cutter.

6. A fish boning machine comprising a feed table adjustably mounted upon a plurality of threaded supports mechanically connected to turn in unison, power driven rotating cutting means, and a pair of power driven spiked endless chains mounted above said table and moving to draw an object to be boned past said cutting means.

7. A fish boning device comprising a feed table having its upper surface provided with a channel adjustably mounted on a plurality of threaded supports connected mechanically to turn in unison, grooves in said table parallel to and on each side of said channel, tubular cutting means aligned with said channel, a pair of spiked endless chains located above said grooves to engage the fish, the spikes on said chains being positioned to move in said grooves to control the movement of the fish, said chains moving parallel to said channel past said cutting means, and driving means to rotate said cutting means and move said chains.

8. A fish boning device comprising an adjustable feed table, a replaceable channelled insert mounted in said table surface, a tubular cutter aligned with the channel in said insert, means to move the object to be boned along said table over the tubular cutter, and means to rotate said cutter.

9. A fish boning machine comprising an adjustable feed table, a replaceable channelled insert mounted in said table surface, grooves in said table surface parallel to and on both sides of said channelled insert, a rotating milling cutter aligned with the channel in said insert, and resiliently mounted conveying means to move a fish-half along said table surface and over the milling cutter, said conveying means having guiding elements adapted to move in said grooves, the channelled insert and grooves determining the path followed by the fish.

10. In apparatus for removing the exposed backbone from split fish, a feed table having a fixed straight upwardly presented elongated guide, a conveyor for the fish having flights located on opposite sides of said guide and moving parallel thereto, said conveyor having means for engaging the body of a fish placed on said guide with its exposed backbone in contact therewith and for moving the fish relatively along the length of said guide, and a rotary backbone removing implement mounted adjacent said table and in alignment with said guide.

11. In apparatus for removing the exposed backbone from split fish, a feed table having a fixed straight upwardly presented elongated guide, a conveyor for the fish having flights located on opposite sides of said guide and moving parallel thereto, said conveyor having means for engaging the body of a fish placed on said guide with its exposed backbone in contact therewith and for moving the fish relatively along the length of said guide, a rotary backbone removing implement mounted adjacent said table and in alignment with said guide, and means on said table on opposite sides of said guide for guiding the movement of said conveyor flights in directions parallel to the length or" said guide.

12. In apparatus for removing the exposed backbone from split fish, a feed table having a fixed straight upwardly presented elongated guide, a conveyor for the fish in substantial parallelism with said guide and having at least one flight moving therealong, said conveyor having means for engaging the body of a fish placed on said guide with its exposed backbone in contact therewith and for moving the fish relatively along the length of said guide, and a rotary backbone removing implement mounted adjacent said table and in alignment with said guide.

RALPH M. BERGLUND.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,175,601 Carson Mar. 14, 1916 1,365,575 Waugh Jan. 11, 1921 1,470,807 Carr Oct. 16, 1923 1,709,362 Meissner et a1 Apr. 16, 1929 2,368,483 Monroe Jan. 30, 1945 2,397,158 Savrda Mar. 26, 1946 

